JP2021138407A - container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a simplified container whose volume can be changed more easily, and which has sufficient strength.SOLUTION: Provided are a container bottom part 10B which constitutes the bottom of a container 10, a container top part 10A which can be raised and lowered between a first position and a second position lower than the first height with respect to the container bottom part 10B, a support structure in the first position that supports the container top part 10A with respect to the container bottom part 10B, square members 16A, 16B in the second position as multiple auxiliary columns supporting the container top part 10A with respect to the container bottom part 10B, and a shutter 20 that can close at least one end face of the container 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a movable container.

Since the demand for freight transportation is generally asymmetric between regions, in freight transportation using containers, it often happens that the container becomes empty on the outbound or inbound route. Since containers occupy the same volume regardless of whether cargo is loaded or not, when a large number of empty containers are transported, a large amount of space is wasted and the transportation efficiency is significantly reduced. In response to such a problem, the inventor of the present application has proposed a cargo container in which the dry container can be crushed in the vertical direction and the volume thereof can be reduced (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Special Table 2002-534327 Gazette Japanese Patent No. 6311850

In such a container, it is necessary to change the volume easily and quickly with a small number of people, and it is necessary to maintain sufficient strength.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple container whose volume can be changed more easily and which has sufficient strength.

The container of the present invention includes a lower part of the container that constitutes the lower part of the container body, an upper part of the container that can be raised and lowered between a first position and a second position lower than the first height with respect to the lower part of the container, and a container body. It is characterized by having a shutter capable of closing at least one end face.

For example, the lower part of the container and the upper part of the container have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and in the second position, the lower part of the container is housed inside the upper part of the container.

For example, the side surface of the container body is composed of a lower side wall whose lower side is rotatably attached to the lower part of the container, and an upper side wall whose lower side is rotatably attached to the upper side of the lower side wall and whose upper side is rotatably attached to the upper part of the container. , At the second position, the lower and upper sidewalls are bent inward.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container having a simple structure having sufficient strength and whose volume can be changed more easily.

It is a perspective view in the 1st state of the deformable container of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view in the 2nd state of the container of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the container in the 2nd state. It is a horizontal cross-sectional view which shows the structure in the vicinity of a corner. It is a perspective view from above which shows the structure around the end face. It is a perspective view from the bottom which shows the structure around the end face. It is a vertical cross-sectional view along the longitudinal direction of the container 10 around the end face. It is an enlarged cross-sectional view which shows the wind-rain dense structure or the waterproof structure between the upper side wall and the lower side wall. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another wind-raintight structure or waterproof structure between the upper side wall and the lower side wall. It is a perspective view of the 1st state of the container of the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is an exploded view perspective view of the 2nd state of the container of FIG. It is a perspective view of the deformable container of the 2nd Embodiment in the 1st state. It is a perspective view of the deformable container of the 2nd Embodiment in the 2nd state. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the hinge which slides and accommodates in a lower frame. It is a partially broken enlarged view which shows the state of the vicinity of the end surface of the container of 2nd Embodiment. It is an enlarged perspective view which shows the structure of the upper and lower corner members of the container of 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 and 2 are perspective views of the deformable container according to the first embodiment of the present invention before and after deformation.

The container 10 of the first embodiment is, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped dry container used for freight transportation. The container 10 may be, for example, a container conforming to the ISO standard, but may be a container manufactured to other standards or original specifications. The container 10 is divided into upper and lower halves at a height of about half, and is mainly composed of a container upper portion 10A forming the upper half portion and a container lower portion 10B forming the lower half portion. The upper part 10A of the container can be raised and lowered with respect to the lower part 10B of the container. When the container upper part 10A is lowered, the container lower part 10B is housed inside the container upper part 10A, and the height and volume of the container 10 are reduced.

FIG. 1 shows a first state in which the upper part 10A of the container is raised and the cargo loading volume is maximized. FIG. 2 shows a second state in which the upper part 10A of the container is lowered and the container volume is minimized. In the present embodiment, the second height (second position) of the container 10 in the second state is approximately half of the first height (second position) in the first state, and the container volume is also approximately half. .. Normally, the cargo is loaded into the container 10 in the first state, and when the cargo is empty, the container 10 is in the second state, but the cargo can also be loaded in the second state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container upper portion 10A extends downward from the four corners of the top surface 12A, the rectangular upper frame 14A that supports the top surface 12A, and the upper frame 14A. It includes four square members 16A, each side side of the upper frame 14A, and an upper side wall 18A attached to the front and rear square members 16A. On the other hand, the container lower portion 10B includes a bottom surface 12B, a rectangular lower frame 14B that supports the bottom surface 12B, four square members 16B extending upward from the four corners of the lower frame 14B, and a lower frame 14B. Each side of the wall and a lower side wall 18B attached to the front and rear square members 16B are provided.

The square member 16B and the lower side wall 18B of the container lower part 10B are arranged inside the square member 16A and the upper side wall 18A of the container upper part 10A, respectively. As a result, in the second state, the square member 16B and the lower side wall 18B are housed inside the square member 16A and the upper side wall 18A, and in the first state, the upper ends of the square member 16B and the lower side wall 18B are respectively square members. It is arranged inside the lower end of 16A and the upper side wall 18A.

A shutter 20 that can be opened and closed up and down is provided on one or both end surfaces of the container 10. In the present embodiment, shutters 20 are provided on both end surfaces, and the shutter 20 can be accommodated along the lower surface of the top surface 12A via, for example, a roller (not shown). The shutter 20 can be opened and closed in either the first state or the second state, and cargo can be loaded in the container 10 in either the first or second state. The shutter 20 may be wound by a winding shaft provided above the end surface.

The square members 16A and 16B are each provided with a fixing mechanism 22 for fixing the position between the corresponding members. In this embodiment, a snap lock having a toggle mechanism in the fixing mechanism 22 is used. For example, a latch metal fitting 22A is provided at the lower end of the square member 16A of the upper part 10A of the container, and the square member 16B of the lower part 10B of the container is provided with a latch metal fitting 22A having a toggle mechanism at a position corresponding to the first state and the second state. An engaging portion 22B such as a hole that engages with is provided. By the fixing mechanism 22, the container upper portion 10A and the container lower portion 10B are vertically integrated in each state. Further, in the container 10, similarly to the conventional container, connecting mechanisms 24 for connecting to the containers stacked one above the other are provided at the four corners of the upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which the upper side wall 18A, the lower side wall 18B, and the square members 16A and 16B excluding the back right side of the drawing are removed from the container 10 in the second state, and the internal structure thereof is shown. FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of the periphery of the corner of the container 10. Further, FIG. 5 is a perspective view from above showing the configuration around the end face, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below showing the configuration around the end face. In addition, in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shutter 20 is omitted.

Hydraulic cylinders 26 are arranged at the four corners of the container 10. As shown in FIG. 4, cylinder mounting portions 26A for mounting the end portions of the hydraulic cylinder 26 are provided at the inner corners of the upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B, respectively. The lower end of each hydraulic cylinder 26 is attached to each cylinder mounting portion 26A of the lower frame 14B, and the upper end is attached to each cylinder mounting portion 26A of the upper frame 14A. The raising and lowering of each hydraulic cylinder 26 is performed by the hydraulic system 27 (FIG. 5) arranged below the floor surface 12B.

Further, the support column structure 28 is rotatably attached to the upper frame 14A in the vicinity of the front and rear end faces. In the first state, the pair of front and rear support columns 28A includes four columns 28A that support the four corners of the upper frame 14A at the four corners of the lower frame 14B, and the pair of left and right columns 28A of each support structure 28 are provided. , The upper end is connected by the upper horizontal member 28B, and the lower end is connected by the lower horizontal member 28C. That is, each support structure 28 is formed as an integral structure having a rectangular shape (see FIGS. 5 and 6 and the like). Each support structure 28 can rotate around the upper horizontal member 28B about a horizontal axis, and the lower horizontal member 28C can move toward the inside of the container 10 along the floor surface 12B of the container lower portion 10B. be. In the first state, the support structure 28 is upright between the container upper part 10A and the container lower part 10B, and the vertical load from the container upper part 10A is supported by the four columns 28A. The support structure 28 is rotated around a rotating shaft 29 protruding outward from both ends of the upper horizontal member 28B, and the rotating shaft 29 is rotatably and vertically supported by a bearing member 31 provided on the upper frame 14A. (See below). In FIG. 3, the floor plate of the lower portion 10B of the container is shown in a removed state. The floor surface 12B is supported by a joist member 15 that is hung in the width direction of the lower frame 14B.

Two guide rails 30 are provided along the longitudinal direction on the bottom surface 12B of the container lower portion 10B, and a pair of guide rollers traveling along the guide rails 30 are provided on the lower side of the lower lateral member 28C of the support structure 28. 32 are provided respectively. That is, when the container upper portion 10A is lowered toward the second state, the guide roller 32 moves along the guide rail 30, and the support structure 28 is tilted inward in the container 10. The columns 28A of the support structure 28 are arranged inside the hydraulic cylinder 26 so as not to interfere with the hydraulic cylinder 26 when the support structure 28 is tilted.

The member extending in the width direction of the lower frame 14B is provided with a groove 33 in which the lower side of the lower lateral member 28C of the upright support structure 28 is accommodated and fitted. At the bottom of the groove 33, holes 32A for accommodating the guide rollers 32 are provided at positions corresponding to the guide rollers 32. The depth of the groove 33 is substantially equal to the thickness of the lower lateral member 28C of the support structure 28, and when the lower lateral member 28C is fitted into the groove 33 and the support structure 28 is upright, the lower lateral member 28C The upper surface is at the same level as the floor surface 12B of the container. As a result, in the first state, the lower lateral member 28C does not protrude from the floor surface, so that the cargo can be taken in and out easily.

Further, in the present embodiment, a protrusion 34 is provided at the upper end of each support column 28A as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a hole that fits with the protrusion 34 when standing upright is provided at a corresponding portion of the upper frame 14A. 36 is provided. Thereby, the displacement between the support structure 28 and the upper frame 14A in the first state can be more reliably prevented. Since the support structure 28 and the upper frame 14A are also connected to each other through the rotating portion, the protrusions 34 and the holes 36 are not essential, and the structure is not limited to the same as long as it prevents displacement.

A latch mechanism (lock mechanism) 35 is provided in the lower end of each column 28A. The latch mechanism 35 locks the rod-shaped engaging member 35A, which is urged by a spring or the like and can project laterally, and the engaging member 35A, which is pushed into the lower end portion against the urging force and held inside. It is provided with a locking mechanism for locking and a trigger member 35B that protrudes from the lower end surface of each support column 28A by an urging force to unlock the engaging member 35A by the locking mechanism. Further, fixing holes 33A into which the engaging member 35A protruding from the support column 28A can be fitted are provided on the side walls at both left and right ends of the groove 33 when the lower lateral member 28C is inserted into the groove 33. That is, when the lower lateral member 28C is housed in the groove 33 and the trigger member 35B is pressed against the bottom of the groove 33 and pushed into the support column 28A against the urging force, the engaging member 35A by the locking mechanism The lock is released, and the engaging member 35A protrudes outward from the side surface of the support column 28A and is recessed into the fixing holes 33A, respectively.

The fixing hole 33A communicates from the groove 33 to the outside of the side surface of the lower frame 14B. A rod 37A is inserted into the fixing hole 33A, and one end of the rod 37A is engaged with an unlocking operating lever 37B pivotally supported on the outer surface of the lower frame 14B. Further, the other end of the rod 37A comes into contact with the tip of the engaging member 35A. When the engaging member 35A protrudes from the side surface of the support column 28A and is inserted into the fixing hole 33A, the tip of the engaging member 35A pushes the rod 37A outward, and the operating lever 37B is rotated. When releasing the lock by the latch mechanism 35, the operating lever 37B is operated and the rod 37A is pushed inward to push the engaging member 35A into the lower end portion of the support column 28A. The pushed engaging member 35A holds the engaging member 35A at that position by the locking mechanism until the trigger member 35B is pushed in again. The fulcrum of the operating lever 37B, the point of action of the rod 37A, and the engaging position of the force point when operating the lever are arbitrary according to the purpose, but the lever does not substantially protrude from the lower frame 14B when locked. Will be done. Therefore, the side surface of the lower frame 14B may be provided with a recess for accommodating the rotating operating lever 37B. For example, when the action point, the fulcrum point, and the force point are arranged in this order, the user rotates the operation lever 37B housed in the recess to the outside to unlock the support structure 28 by the latch mechanism 35.

Further, the latch mechanism 35 may be configured to function even in the second state in which the support structure 28 is tilted inward of the container 10. In this case, the engaging member 35A of the latch mechanism 35 is engaged with the fixing hole provided at the position corresponding to the lower end portion of the support column 28A in the second state of the lower frame 14B. Further, the engagement (lock) is released by operating a lever having the same configuration as the operating lever 37B provided on the outside of the lower frame 14B at the same position (not shown). Further, at this position, the lower end surface of the support column 28A engages with the contact member for pushing the trigger member 35A into the lower end surface.

Further, a guide rail 38A that guides both sides of the shutter 20 in the vertical direction along the end surface is arranged inside the square member 16A of the container upper portion 10A, and a shutter is provided inside the square member 16B of the container lower portion 10B. Guide rails 38B that guide both sides of 20 in the vertical direction along the end surface are arranged. The upper end of the guide rail 38A is attached to the upper frame 14A, and the lower end of the guide rail 38B is attached to the lower frame 14B. In the present embodiment, the guide rail 38B is arranged at a position corresponding to the inside of the guide rail 38A, and in the first state, the upper end portion of the guide rail 38B is located inside the lower end portion of the guide rail 38A, and the second state. Then, substantially the entire guide rail 38B is arranged inside the guide rail 38A.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container 10 around the end surface along the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the beam in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame 14A is provided with a guide rail 40 that guides the shutter 20 along the longitudinal direction of the top surface 12A. When the shutter 20 is lifted and the end surface of the container 10 is opened, the shutter 20 is accommodated by the guide rail 40 along the top surface 12A. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the bearing member 31 is composed of a plate member extending downward from the beam in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame 14A, and has a U-shape in the center of which the rotating shaft 29 is engaged. Hole 31A is provided. The rotating shaft 29 is fitted in the U-shaped hole 31A and can move up and down along the U-shaped groove and can rotate along the arc at the bottom.

8 and 9 are enlarged cross-sectional views showing a wind-raintight structure or a waterproof structure between the upper side wall 18A and the lower side wall 18B in the present embodiment.

In FIG. 8, the lower end of the upper side wall 18A and the upper end of the lower side wall 18B are bent in an L shape toward each other, and the upper surface of the horizontally bent surface of the upper side wall 18A and the lower side wall 18B in the horizontal direction. A configuration is shown in which the seal member 42A is arranged along the longitudinal direction on the lower surface of the bent surface. On the other hand, FIG. 9 shows a configuration in which only the lower end of the upper side wall 18A is bent toward the lower side wall 18B, and the seal member 42B is arranged at the tip thereof along the longitudinal direction.

In the configuration of FIG. 8, in the first state, the seal member 42A of the upper side wall 18A and the lower side wall 18B are in close contact with each other to seal the gap between the two wall surfaces, and in the second state, the seal member 42A to the lower side wall of the upper side wall 18A is sealed. The protruding portion protruding toward 18B presses against the lower side wall 18B to seal the gap. On the other hand, in the configuration of FIG. 9, in both the first and second states, the tip of the sealing member 42B is pressed against the lower side wall 18B to seal the gap. For the sealing members 42A and 42B, thermosetting elastomers such as EPDM are used.

Next, the deformation operation of the container 10 between the first and second states will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. When the container is deformed, the shutter 20 is kept open and the end face is open. After the deformation work, the shutter 20 is opened and closed and locked as needed.

(Transformation from the first state to the second state)
In the first state, the rotating shaft 29 is located above the U-shaped hole 31A. When shifting the container 10 (container upper part 10A) from the first state at the first height to the second state at the second height, the fixing mechanism 22 is first released, and the container upper part 10A is provided by the hydraulic cylinder 26. Is once raised to a third height higher than the first height with respect to the lower portion 10B of the container. After that, the upper portion 10A of the container is lowered by the hydraulic cylinder 26 to the second height, and the support structure 28 is tilted inward along the guide rail 30 about the rotation shaft 29 to the second state shown in FIG. After that, the square members 16A and 16B are connected by the fixing mechanism 22, and the upper container 10A and the lower container 10B are integrated.

That is, when the upper frame 14A starts to rise, the protrusion 34 of the upper lateral member 28B is pulled out from the hole 36 of the upper frame 14A, and the rotating shaft 29 comes into contact with the arcuate bottom of the hole 31A. When the upper frame 14A is further raised, the bearing member 31 lifts the support structure 28, the protrusion 34 of the lower lateral member 28C is pulled out from the hole 36 of the lower frame 14B, and the guide roller 32 is pulled out from the hole 32A of the lower frame 14B. Is done. At this time, the lower lateral member 28C is pushed inward by a mechanism (not shown), and the support structure 28 is tilted to a position where the guide roller 32 rides on the guide rail 30. After that, the upper frame 14A is lowered, the rotating shaft 29 rotates along the arc bottom of the U-shaped hole 31A, and the guide roller 32 runs on the guide rail 30 toward the inside of the container to support the structure. The body 28 is tilted to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the container 10 is in the second state.

After the deformation to the second state, the square members 16A of the container upper portion 10A and the square members 16B of the container lower portion 10B provided at the four corners are fastened by the fixing mechanism 22. In the second state, one or both of the square members 16A and 16B abut on the other frame and function as a support structure for supporting the upper frame 14A with the lower frame 14B. That is, the compressive load applied between the upper part 10A of the container and the lower part 10B of the container is supported by the square member 16A and / or the square member 16B that functions as an auxiliary strut, and the tensile load is supported by both members through the fixing mechanism 22. ..

(Transformation from the second state to the first state)
After releasing the fixing mechanism 22, the hydraulic system 27 is driven, and the container upper portion 10A at the second height is raised with respect to the container lower portion 10B by the hydraulic cylinder 26. When the bearing member 31 rises due to the rise of the upper frame 14A, the rotating shaft 29 of the support structure 28 engaged with the bearing member 31 is pulled up, and the support structure 28 gradually stands while its lower end is dragged toward the end surface. Can be raised. At this time, the lower end of the support structure 28 is smoothly moved toward the end surface by the guide roller 32 running on the guide rail 30.

The hydraulic cylinder 26 lifts the container upper portion 10A beyond the first height to the third height, and the support structure 28 is vertically suspended from the bearing member 31. At this time, the protrusions 34 provided on the upper horizontal member 28B and the lower horizontal member 28C are located at positions facing the holes 36 provided on the upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B, respectively, and the guide rollers 32 are placed on the lower frame. It is arranged at a position facing the hole 32A provided in 14B.

After that, the upper frame 14A is lowered to the first height by the hydraulic cylinder 26. At this time, the guide roller 32 is first accommodated in the hole 32A, and the protrusion 34 of the lower lateral member 28C of the support structure 28 is further fitted into the corresponding hole 36 of the lower frame 14B. When the bottom surface of the lower lateral member 28C comes into contact with the lower frame 14B, the support structure 28 stops descending, and only the upper frame 14A (container upper portion 10A) is further lowered. That is, the rotating shaft 29 of the support structure 28 separates from the bottom surface of the U-shaped hole 31A of the descending bearing member 31, and relatively rises in the hole 31A. As a result, the upper frame 14A descends toward the upper lateral member 28B of the support structure 28, and the protrusion 34 of the upper lateral member 28B is fitted into the corresponding hole 36 of the corresponding upper frame 14A. When the bottom surface of the upper frame 14A comes into contact with the upper horizontal member 28B, the container upper portion 10A becomes the first height and the container 10 becomes the first state.

After the transformation to the first state, the lower end of the square member 16A of the container upper part 10A that overlaps with the upper end of the square member 16B of the container lower part 10B is fastened by the fixing mechanism 22, and the container upper part 10A and the container lower part 10B are integrated. NS. That is, the compressive load acting between the upper part 10A of the container and the lower part 10B of the container is supported by the support structure 28, and the tensile load is supported by the square members 16A and 16B and the fixing mechanism 22 connecting them.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a container having a simple structure having sufficient strength and whose volume can be easily changed. Further, since the shutter is used for the opening of the container in the present embodiment, the opening can be opened and closed even if the volume of the container is changed. For example, the container can be kept airtight in any state. Can be done. Further, in the present embodiment, the rotating shaft of the support structure can be moved up and down in the bearing and lifted to a third height higher than the first height, so that the rotating shaft is moved from the upper part of the container in the first state. It is more reliably prevented from receiving a load.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the support structure integrally assembled in a rectangular shape is used, the upper part of the container can be firmly supported, and the support structure is fitted into the lower frame at the second position and is provided by the latch mechanism. Since it is locked, it is structurally stable and has high operability.

10 and 11 are perspective views of a modified example of the container of the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the first state, and FIG. 11 is an exploded view perspective view of the second state. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the container is provided with the connecting mechanism at the four corners, but the container of the modified example is provided with the connecting mechanism other than the four corners of the container, for example, a 45-foot container. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The container 50 of the modified example shown in FIG. 10 has a structure in which extension portions 52 are provided in the front-rear direction of the container 10 of the first embodiment, respectively, and is plane-symmetrical with the central cross section in the longitudinal direction as a symmetrical plane. The container 50 includes a rectangular upper frame 14A and a lower frame 14B as in the first embodiment, and connecting mechanisms 24 are provided at the four corners thereof. The upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B are provided with frame extension portions 52A and 52B toward the outside in the longitudinal direction, and the extension portion 52 is formed. Square members 16A and 16B are provided at the four corners of the extension frames 52A and 52B, respectively, and guide rails 38A and 38B for guiding the shutter 20 provided along the end surface of the extension portion 52 are provided.

The end surface of the extension portion 52 can be opened and closed by the shutter 20, the top surface is covered with the top surface 54A, and both side portions are covered with the upper side wall 54B and the lower side wall 54C. Support structures 28 are arranged directly below or in the vicinity of the four corners of the upper frame 14A provided with the connecting mechanism 24, and both ends of the upper lateral member 28B of the support structure 28 extend in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame 14A. It is rotatably supported by a bearing member 31 provided on an existing beam via a rotating shaft 29. In the first state, the support structure 28 stands upright between the upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B, and in the second state, the guide roller 32 moves along the guide rail 30 as shown in FIG. , Tilt inward. The deformation between the first and second states is performed via the third height as in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, in the modified example, the hydraulic cylinder 26 is provided, for example, slightly inside the square members 16A and 16B of the extension portion 52 in the same arrangement as in the first embodiment. Further, the outer wall portions corresponding to both sides of the support structure 28 that stands upright in the first state are provided with support side walls 56A and 56B along the vertical direction. Each support side wall 56A, 56B has, for example, a U-shaped horizontal cross section. The support side walls 56A and 56B are arranged with their U-shaped bottoms facing outward, the upper end of the support side wall 56A is attached to the upper frame 14A of the container upper part 50A, and the lower end of the support side wall 56B is attached to the lower frame 14B of the container lower part 50B. It is attached. Further, the dimensions of the support side walls 56A and 56B are set so that the support side wall 56B of the container lower portion 50B is accommodated along the inside of the support side wall 56A of the container upper portion 50A in the second state. The upper side wall 18A of the main body portion and the upper side wall 54B of the extension portion 52 are connected to both sides of the support side wall 56A, respectively, and the lower side wall 18A of the main body portion and the lower side wall 54C of the extension portion 52 are connected to both sides of the support side wall 56B. Each is connected.

The corner portions 16A and 16B and the support side walls 56A and 56B are provided with fixing mechanisms 22 similar to those in the first embodiment, respectively, and in the first and second states, the container upper portion 50A and the container lower portion 50B are connected and integrated. To become. That is, the corner portions 16A and 16B and the support side walls 56A and 56B support the tensile load between the container upper portion 50A and the container lower portion 50B in the first state and are added to the tensile load in the second state, as in the first embodiment. It also supports compressive loads and functions as an auxiliary strut. Further, the support side walls 56A and 56B adopt a structure resistant to compressive loads such as an L-shaped cross-section member, a U-shaped cross-section member, and an H-shaped cross-section member. It may be a supporting configuration. The compressive load in the first state is supported by the support structure 28 that supports between the upper frame 14A and the lower frame 14B, as in the first embodiment.

As described above, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained even in the deformable container of the modified example.

The modification can also be applied to a container of approximately 40 feet. For example, the support column 28A is arranged directly under the connecting mechanism 24 of the 40-foot container, the end surface of the 40-foot container is slightly extended outward (for example, about 150 mm to 400 mm), and the hydraulic cylinders 26 are provided on both sides of the extension portion. In addition to the arrangement, the shutter 20 may be arranged on the end surface of the extension portion. With this configuration, each column 28A can be arranged directly below the connecting mechanism 24, so that the required frame strength can be suppressed.

Next, the deformable container of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 16. The container of the first embodiment has a configuration in which the side wall slides up and down, but the container of the second embodiment has a configuration in which the side wall is folded. Regarding the configuration similar to that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used and the description thereof will be omitted.

12 and 13 are perspective views of the deformable container 60 of the second embodiment in the first state and the second state, respectively. In addition, in FIGS. 12 and 13, the top surface is removed so that the inside can be seen, and the configuration related to the support structure is also omitted. The configurations of the upper frame 14A, the lower frame 14B, and the support structure 28 in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. The side wall of the container 60 is composed of two upper side walls 62A and a lower side wall 62B which are vertically divided into two.

The upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B of the second embodiment are arranged in the same vertical plane in the first state. One wing of the hinge 64A is attached to the upper side wall 62A inside the upper side thereof, and the other wing of the hinge 64A is attached to the lower side of the beam in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame 14A. As a result, the upper side wall 62A can rotate inward of the container around the upper side axially supported by the upper frame 14A. On the other hand, one wing of the hinge 64B is attached to the outside of the lower side of the upper side wall 62A. The other wing of the hinge 64B is attached to the outside of the upper side of the lower side wall 62B. Further, one wing of the hinge 64C is attached to the inside of the lower side of the lower side wall 62B, and the other wing 65 of the hinge 64C is provided on the lower side of the beam in the longitudinal direction of the lower frame 61 as shown in FIG. It is inserted into the slot 66.

When the container top 60A is at first and second heights, the wings 65 are housed in slot 66, as shown in FIG. 14 (a). When the upper portion 60A of the container is lifted higher than the first height, the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B are pulled up, and a part of the wing 65 is pulled out from the slot 66 as shown in FIG. 14 (b). At a position where the container upper portion 60A is lower than the first height, the wings 65 are housed in the slot 66, and finally the lower end of the lower side wall 62B abuts on the lower frame 61.

As a result, the position of the lower side of the lower side wall 62B in the container width direction is fixed. In the present embodiment, the wing 65 is provided with a slit-shaped hole (with a groove) 65A along the vertical direction of the container 10, and the pin 65B provided in the lower frame 61 is engaged with the hole 65A. The wings 65 are prevented from being pulled out of the slot 66. The length of the hole 65A is set so as not to hinder the vertical movement of the container upper portion 60A. Sealing members 68 are provided on the upper and lower end faces of the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B, respectively, and when the end faces are in close contact with the frame or the frame, the gaps between them are made airtight. When the container upper portion 14A of the first height is lowered toward the second height, the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B are V-shaped toward the inside of the container by the rotation of the hinges 64A, 64B, 64C. Can be folded into. As a result, the container 60 is transformed into the second state shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a partially broken enlarged view showing the state of the container 60 in the vicinity of the end surface of FIG. 12, and FIG. 16 is an enlarged perspective showing the configurations of the upper and lower corner members 70A and 70B of the container 60 of the second embodiment. It is a figure.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the side ends of the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B have, for example, an L-shaped bent shape inward, and form guide portions 72A and 72B along the vertical direction. do. The square members 70A and 70B are provided with guide portions 74A and 74B facing the guide portions 72A and 72B at predetermined intervals. Further, the lower square member 70B can be accommodated in the upper square member 70A. A hydraulic cylinder 26 is arranged inside each of the square members 70A and 70B, and the upper part 60A of the container is raised and lowered by the four hydraulic cylinders 26 in the square members 70A and 70B.

The gaps provided between the guide portions 72A and 74A and between the guide portions 72B and 74B serve to guide the shutter 20 to be opened and closed. A seal member may be provided on the surfaces of the guide portions 72A and 72B facing the guide portions 74A and 74B. In the second state, the guide portions 74A and 74B bent in a V shape on the rear surface of the closed shutter 20. The seal members of the above come into contact with each other, and the seal members are made airtight, for example.

Although the support structure 28 is omitted in FIGS. 12 to 16, it is arranged in the same manner as in the first embodiment. However, in the first embodiment, the support structure 28 is tilted and arranged diagonally in the container in the process of transforming from the first to the second state, but in the second embodiment, it rises to the third height. In this state, the support structure 28 is lifted to a position adjacent to the upper frame 14A, and the lower lateral member 28C is fixed to the upper frame 14A by fixing means (not shown). As a result, the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B are bent inside the container 60 without interfering with the support structure 28.

As described above, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained in the container of the second embodiment.

Further, as a modification of the second embodiment, application to a 45-foot container is conceivable as in the modification of the first embodiment, but in this case, the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B are modifications of the first embodiment. It is divided by the support side walls 56A and 56B of the example. In such a modification, in the second state, a V-shaped gap is formed between the support side walls 56A and 56B and the upper side wall 62A and the lower side wall 62B so as to communicate the outside and the inside of the container 60. Therefore, in order to make the airtight even in the second state, a sealing member for closing the gap is attached.

In the second embodiment, the wings on the lower frame side of the hinge attached to the lower side of the lower side wall can be slid up and down, but the wings on the lower side wall can also be slid, or both can be slid. It can also be configured. Also, instead of the hinge on the lower side of the lower side wall, one of the hinge connecting the lower side wall and the upper side wall and the hinge connecting the upper side wall and the upper frame may be slidable, and various forms such as combining with the hinge on the lower side of the lower side wall can be considered. Be done.

Further, in the present embodiment, a hinge is provided on the lower side of the lower side wall. However, no hinge is provided on the lower side of the lower side wall, and a rotation shaft that discharges outward to the extent that it does not interfere with the shutter is provided on the outside of the lower end of the guide portion of the lower side wall, and is provided on the plate member that discharges vertically from the lower frame. By engaging this rotating shaft with a vertically long groove or hole, the lower side wall can be moved up and down and can be rotated while fixing the position of the lower end of the lower side wall in the container width direction.

Further, a plurality of urging members such as springs can be arranged between the upper part of the container (upper frame) and the lower part of the container (lower frame) to reduce the load borne by the hydraulic cylinder when the upper part of the container is raised and lowered. For example, the coil spring may be arranged around the hydraulic cylinder, or may be arranged separately from the hydraulic cylinder. Further, in the present embodiment, a latch mechanism is provided at the lower end of the support column of the support structure so that the lower end of the support structure can be automatically fixed. The support structure may be locked by inserting a rod (corresponding to the rod 37A) into the hole provided on the side surface (corresponding to the hole for accommodating the locking member 35A). In this case, for example, by rotating the lever provided on the lower frame, the rod is inserted into the hole provided on the side surface of the lower end of the column to lock the support structure.

In the present embodiment, at the first position, the lower lateral member 28C of the support structure 28 is fitted into the groove 33 provided in the lower frame 14B, but instead of the groove 33, the lateral member of the lower frame 14B is fitted. A step portion for fitting the lower horizontal member 28C may be provided inside.

Further, the container of the present embodiment can also be used for residential use such as a container house or for a warehouse. Also in these applications, it is possible to save the storage space and improve the transportation capacity during movement.

10, 50, 60 Containers 10A, 50A, 60A Upper part of container 10B, 50B, 60B Lower part of container 16A, 16B Square member 20 Shutter 24 Connection mechanism 26 Hydraulic cylinder 28 Support structure

Claims (2)

The lower part of the container, which constitutes the lower part of the container body,
An upper part of the container that can be raised and lowered between the first position and a second position lower than the first height with respect to the lower part of the container.
A shutter capable of closing at least one end surface of the container body is provided.
A container characterized in that the lower part of the container and the upper part of the container have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the lower part of the container is housed inside the upper part of the container at the second position. The lower part of the container, which constitutes the lower part of the container body,
An upper part of the container that can be raised and lowered between the first position and a second position lower than the first height with respect to the lower part of the container.
A shutter capable of closing at least one end surface of the container body is provided.
The side surface of the container body is composed of a lower side wall whose lower side is rotatably attached to the lower part of the container, and an upper side wall whose lower side is rotatably attached to the upper side of the lower side wall and its upper side is rotatably attached to the upper part of the container. A container configured such that, at the second position, the lower side wall and the upper side wall are bent inward.

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